Death is here.
Waiting, waiting—
It haunts me, envelops
My very soul—lingers until
I am asleep, to seep out from
Beneath my bed, cold, malicious,
To choke me silently until…I am still.

The first day of winter has begun
And from within the room a beast resides
Dark, cold, and merciless
Enveloping wholly the curious soul
That awakens it from its slumber
No one can peer through its dark malice
Just as no one can see through thick blood ink
No one can escape its iron grip
Just as no one can flee from a living hell

The window’s edge is white with crackling ice
Frosted by the night ghosts’ chilled breath
A pallid hand slips out from beneath the covers
Lifts slowly, cautiously, curiously
A warm finger grazes icy glass
A chill stings the tip, and a jolt—
Shivering quietly, the hand slips back
Receding again into its harsh solitude

Eyes are dry and heavy
Temptation brushes the lids softly, lovingly
Must resist its enticing song
Cannot fall into oblivious slumber
Where the most passionate of hearts
Can rest quietly,
Enveloped by the mercy of sweet death

A streak of white mist
Escapes pale chapped lips
Lasting but a swift moment
Before again fading into the dark
Swamped by black dust
The room is a black and white movie
The world, a voiceless soul
Everything is still

Slide to the carpeted bedroom floor before
A compelling pull down on the bed
Hundreds of clawed hands reach upward—
Demonic hands
Dragging a soul to the Gates of no return
A momentary hesitation
A tear in the willpower before
An unknown strength is found
Heaving upwards from the bed,
Breaking free from its tempting gentle clutches

One heavy step after another
Thump. Thump. Muffled by carpet
Must escape this place
Must escape ourselves

Approach the closed door
Eerie, cold, lifeless
But this one cannot be fooled…
A glowing light escapes beneath the door
Dim, hardly there—
But warm. Comforting and beautiful and warm
One wonders what lies beyond it
Life? Color? Redemption? Please God, let it be so

One icy hand eagerly pressed against its splintering surface
The other, resting loosely on the rusting doorknob
An ear slowly leans on the door, listening,
To the steady heartbeat
Thumping peacefully on the other side
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A quiet bass drum preparing the audience
For a grand symphony, a colorful BANG

For a moment of resolve
Let us shed ourselves
Of our fear and our weakness
Let us redeem ourselves
Of our greed-ridden minds

Let us now,
With a new slate in hand,
With hearts thumping in sync,
Turn the knob
And watch quietly as our sin falls away
And our land of promise emerges from the ashes

In God’s exchange lies a colorful beauty
Engulfed by warmth and life and love
The Garden of Eden is before me
I cry tears of joy and they flow
Peacefully down the river
Of sparkling gold;
Finally, finally
I am free.